Massaging implement.



, PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

J. B. WANTZ. MAssAGING IMPLEMBNT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. 1903.

Llll

N0 MODEL.

Nrrnij v STATES Patented october 27, 19o3.`

APATENT firmes.

JULIUS B. WANTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MASS'AGING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,584, dated October 27,

Application filed February 9,1903. Serial No. 142,563. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that LJULIUs B. WANTZ, a citi.

zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Massaging Implements, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of a massaging implement of the class in which a handle to be held in one hand by the operator contains a rotary shaft with which is eccentrically geared a stem or lever adapted to hold a suitable massaging attachment. The handle is usually upon the end of a iiexible shaft which is actuated from or by an electric or other motor, and in practice the massaging attachment is oscillated or reciprocated by the rotating shaft while being pressed against the person of the patient. In implements of this class as hitherto provided the vibrations of the massaging attachment while in contact with the surface operated upon react against the hand and arm of the operator, which is naturallydtiring and to be avoided as far as possible.

My object is to overcome the said difficulty by rendering the shell of the handle, which is grasped by the operator, yielding with relation to the shaft and parts actuated thereby, so that the vibrations will be neutralized to a great extent at least.

It is also my object to provide a massaging implement of a construction which renders it particularly desirable and well adapted for its purpose.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a broken perspective view showing my improved massaging implement in the hand of an operator, the cap portion being shown detached for the purposes of illustrating details which would otherwise be hidden; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the implement; Fig. 3, an end view of the implement with the cap removed, and Fig. t a section taken on line 4 in Fig. 2.

A is a shaft, and B a sleeve in which the said shaft rotates freely. On the end of the sleeve Bis a head B', presenting an elongated face ct. The head B' is of greater diameter than the sleeve B, presenting a shoulder h. On the end of .the shaft just beyond the face a is aneccentric c.

C is a massaging attachment holder or lever fulcrumed upon a pin or screw d, by means of which it is fastened to the head B' against the face d. a bifurcated end embracing the eccentric c and at itsopposit-e or free end is provided with a socket e to receive and engage the shank of a removable massaging attachment D. shown or any other desired form. The shaft A is coupled atfto a flexible shaft g, which rotates in a iiexible tube or casing h in the usual way, the tube being screwed upon the end of the sleeve B and presenting an annular shoulder h' corresponding in size with the shoulder b.

In the rotation of the shaft A and eccentric c the lever or vibrator C is oscillated upon the fulcrum d to produce vibrations of the 7o massaging attachment D in a direction at right angles-to the plane or general direction of the handle. Fitting around the face portion a of the head is a removable cap-piece B2, having an elongated opening 'i for the 75 stem portion of the vibrator C.

` Surrounding the shaft B and fitting loosely between the shoulders l) h' is a cylindrical shell or handle portion E, of wood, hard rubber, or other suitable material. handle portion is of somewhat greater internal diameter than the outer circumference of the sleeve B, leaving an annular chamber 7c between them.v In the chamber k are, preferably, tending nearly the full length of the chamber and fastened midway between their ends by means of screws or the like Z to the sleeve B.

The strips are bent, as shown, to bear at their free ends against the inner surface of the 9o shell or handle portion E, toward opposite ends thereof.

The springs F form a yielding connection between the sleeve B and handle portion, permitting relative play of the parts in all but 95 the longitudinal direction. The device is held in the hand, as shown in Fig. 1, and the massaging attachment D is pressed with desired force against the surface to be operated upon.

The force of the vibrations while the Virnple- Ioo ment is thus Vin use naturally reacts against` the eccentric c, shaft A, and sleeve B; but by The holder or lever has 55 which 'attachment may be of the form 6o The shell or 8o three strips F of spring metal eX- reason of the yielding connection formed by the springs F the force of the vibrations is neutralized to a very large extent, thus permitting the handle portion to be held quite steadily without jar against the hand and arm of the operator.

My improved handle may be employed in connection with massaging implements in which the vibrator is operated as described or in which the massaging attachment is given any form or kind of motion, and While I prefer to construct my improvements as shown and described any other suitable form lof yielding connection between the vibrator and handle portion may be provided and the device otherwise changed in the matter of details of construction Without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined.` by the claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a massaging implement, the combina-i tion of a rotatable shaft, actuating means therefor, a massaging-attachment holder actuated by said shaft, a handle surrounding said shaft, and springs interposed between the shaft and handle permitting said shaft and handle to yield laterally relatively to each other.

2. In a massaging implement, the combination of a rotatable shaft, actuating means therefor, a massaging-attachment holder operatively connected with said shaft, a handle surrounding said shaft, and longitudinal springs interposed at intervals between the shaft and handle permitting said shaft and handle to yield laterally relatively to each other.

3. In a massagingimplement, the combination with a shaft and massaging-attachment holder actuated thereby of a sleeve in which the shaft is journaled, a cylindrical handle surrounding said sleeve, and laterally yielding springs F connected between their ends to the sleeve and bearing at opposite end portions against the end portions of the handle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a massaging implement, the combination of a sleeve having a head portion at one end and adapted at its opposite end for attachment to the casing of a flexible shaft, a rotary shaft extending through said sleeve with connecting means thereon for the flexible shaft, an eccentric on the end of said rotary shaft beyond said head portion, a vibrator fulcrumed upon said head and engaging said eccentric to be actuated thereby to vibrate in a plane at right angles to said shaft, a cylindrical operating-handle surrounding said sleeve, and laterally-yielding springs between the shaft and handle.

JULIUS B. WANTZ.

In presence of- WALTER WINBERG, WM. B. DAVIES. 

